Often, we’re taught that meditation must be practiced in a bubble — removing ourselves from daily interests and stimuli. We may be told that we have to set aside a certain amount of time for a daily practice, and that we have “failed” if we do not manage to do so. Of course, there are wonderful benefits to having a separate meditation practice. The benefits are well known and include everything from lowered blood pressure to mood stability. That being said, we can also benefit equally from tiny meditations throughout our entire day.

Spending time on the Sedona red rocks makes these mini-meditations easy — we’re caught for the moment in drinking in the beauty, or feeling the energy around us. But we can take this home, too, with just a little attention. Let’s start with something simple — an anchor to remind you to check in with yourself.

A great start is to pause before eating. With your food in front of you, pause to notice your breath. Take three breaths before you start to eat. It’s that easy. For now, you don’t even need to try to control the breath — just count three breaths and notice the act of breathing as being the most interesting thing happening.

Doing this simple thing before each meal or snack begins the framework for a day where you never completely leave a meditative state — where you always have a finger (or toe!) in the ever-present meditation pool. In future posts, we’ll look into types of breathing, and other ways to keep you connected throughout the day — enjoy!